Nyrielle allowed the intense hug to last for several slow heartbeats before pulling back and offering both her mother- and sister-in-law a warm, welcoming smile.
"I don't know if I should thank Marcel for bringing you so swiftly," Nyrielle said. "Or scold him for arriving on a night that prevents us from spending more time together without attending to the affairs of the Empire."
"What ruler ever gets all the time they want for family?" Maela asked rhetorically.
"I do," Nyrielle responded in a tone that was earnest enough to surprise both Micheline and Maela. "Who in the Vale of Mists would dare to take even a moment of my time with Ashlynn away from me? Only one person comes to mind," she said, giving Ashlynn a playful smile. "Because she fills her days with so many things she considers to be important."
